On Monday 20th October 2025, Patrick Roe and Simon Hollin drove to Kingston upon Thames to collect a Polymetaal JPV80 etching press for delivery to Kentish Town.
The destination was a well-established photographic studio — committed to traditional processes and now looking to expand into intaglio printmaking with the addition of a large etching press.
The move itself was, in principle, straightforward — but only with the right approach.
The press, weighing approximately 250 kg and of substantial proportions, needed to be dismantled into manageable sections in order to be safely transported in a standard van. This is typical for presses of this type; attempting to move them intact is rarely practical and often introduces unnecessary risk.
With careful handling, the components were loaded and transported across London.
The move had initially been quoted elsewhere, but it became clear that the practicalities of the job had not been taken into account.
Work of this kind sits in a particular space. It requires not only the equipment to move heavy machinery, but also an understanding of how presses are constructed — what can be removed, what must remain aligned, and how everything goes back together correctly.
Without that familiarity, a relatively straightforward move can quickly become more complicated than it needs to be.
At Lux Darkroom, the press was reassembled, aligned, and installed, ready for use.
For a studio grounded in photographic practice, the addition of an intaglio press represents a natural extension — another way of working with image, surface, and process.
Moves like this are often less about logistics and more about transition.
A press changes hands. A studio expands its capabilities. New work becomes possible.
And, as ever, the machine continues.
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